


It Was Always You

by DarchangelSkye



Series: He Will Be Loved [4]
Category: Adam Levine (Musician), Blake Shelton (Musician), Music RPF, Real Person Fiction, The Voice (US) RPF, The Voice RPF
Genre: Couch Cuddles, Cross-Posted on Wattpad, Friendship/Love, Hopeful Ending, Love Confessions, M/M, Other, Realization, Recovery, Relationship Negotiation, Time Skips, Wordcount: 1.000-3.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-21
Updated: 2015-09-21
Packaged: 2018-04-22 17:41:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4844492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarchangelSkye/pseuds/DarchangelSkye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He'd always told himself he loved Adam in his own way...but between the playful goofing around and the serious caretaking, his way became <i>the</i> way. He didn't just help Adam out of wanting to keep a friend safe, it was to show him the kind of love he deserved that Kirk refused to give.<br/><i>Holy shit, I love Adam.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	It Was Always You

**Author's Note:**

> Bless y'all for being so patient while I worked this up. For sure one more story in this series to give a complete happy Shevine ending, but in the meantime... ;)

To say there was an instant reaction to the discovery of Kirk's abusive behavior would be the understatement of the decade.

At least a couple fans still had their camera phones running when Kirk made his attack, and despite NBC Legal's attempts to block the footage it became viral within hours. Every harsh action and word and Adam's accusations were in view for everyone to see.

Blake never watched any of it. Living through it was enough. 

As Adam had promised, once his examination at the hospital was finished he called his friend. It was a sad story: bruises and scratches on the outside, most of them on areas that wouldn't show on camera but sometimes Kirk's anger overruled his twisted brand of rational thought, and minor rib fractures from sustaining months of punches and kicks.

"So my chest's gotta be bandaged an' set for a while," Adam's voice sounded labored on the other end of the phone. "Y'think they can give me some C-cups while they're at it?"

There was the sense of humor Blake had missed.

At any rate, the evidence was damning enough for Kirk to be given the restraining order _and_ an order to undergo counseling at a psychiatric facility while the official assault trial was upcoming. Of course Adam's fans wanted nothing less than blood, but Blake was astounded at how his friend never showed any vengeful outbursts when he frankly had every right to. Whether or not that made him the better person no one would ever know. 

Adam was offered counseling as well, and while the old Adam would have been all 'I can do this myself', this help he accepted. If he could trust Blake's intentions to help were good, he could trust anyone's.

As expected, the mainstream media reaction was a firestorm. While some commentators held onto their snooty belief that a man wouldn't just "let himself" be hit, the public was largely on Adam's side. It also shed more light on the disturbing statistics of domestic violence in the LGBT community, especially the teenagers and young adults who made up most of his fanbase. Seeing their idol be open about what he endured made many realize "If it could happen to him, it could happen to me." If there was any good to come out of this nightmare, it was others knew they were not alone.

As for The Voice, filming had to be delayed for a while as Adam recuperated from his injuries, but soon he was welcomed back on set with open arms, none more open than Blake's. He was brimming over with joy enough for his embrace to lift Adam off the ground, even if his hold stayed gentle. His friend's laughter rang through the air like the best song ever written and Blake knew he'd keep that sound in his memory forever. He couldn't think of a better reward for anyone who'd walked through hell.

***

_Counseling rough today. Can I come over?_

Blake looked over the message and felt the phone heavy in his hand. Of course a text from Adam was nothing new, they'd gone back to their pre-Kirk frequency over the past few months, usually dumb jokes in between takes or end-of-the-day "I'm OK" confirmations when he had his quiet moments. But this was the first indication of something being not OK. 

Blake hadn't left him alone then and he sure as hell wasn't being left alone now. _No problem. Had dinner yet?_

_Not rly hungry. Be there soon anyway_

Blake was going to ignore the growl in his stomach just this once.

***

It was a relief to see Adam walking in back to his normal gait, short sleeves with bruises all gone, and something resembling a smile. "Hey, man," he greeted with a hug tight enough like he wanted to make sure nobody was going to be slipping away this time.

Still a little fearful, Blake realized. Maybe that was what made the therapy rough today... He returned the hug and gave Adam's back gentle rubs, an assurance of not going anywhere. "My fridge is your fridge if you change your mind."

When Adam drew back from the hug, his grin was almost splitting his face. "I've navigated your fridge, mister. Pretty sure those lemons are old enough to vote."

Little jackass. "Y'still made eggs that morning," Blake reminded.

The smile flickered for only a split-second and came back with Adam's comeback, "And I'm lucky they didn't hatch."

Same sense of humor the whole world loved.

***

The men split a six-pack between them and Adam found a game on TV. Blake still knew less than squat about basketball, never mind who was playing who, but he was grateful to spend time with his friend.

Frankly, this whole experience had taught him to be grateful for a lot of things. 

At about the game's halfway mark, Adam had his third can nestled in his knees unopened while Blake was still nursing his second drink. Things had slipped into quietness, save for the niggling at the back of his mind that was loud and clear. Should he ask? Was it any of his business?

He shook his head to himself. Minding his own business this long made for a lot of this trouble. "What was..." he cautiously prompted. 

"Hm?" Adam looked to him, lost in the game up to this point. "What was what?"

"What was rough today." Blake realized something and added, "I mean, if you aren't supposed to tell me I can't make you break that, but-"

Adam held up a hand and he paused. "No, Blake, it's fine. I can't avoid talking about things." He put his unopened beer back in the case, leaned against the cushions, and ran his hands over his face and hair with a sigh.

Ironic that Blake _still_ wanted to give Kirk some extra punches for all the pain he'd caused.

"It's the shrink. I swear, she was this close to saying 'It's not your fault what happened _but_ '."

"C'mon, Adam, I'm sure she didn't mean it like that."

"I dunno, but she sure wanted to get into my 'habit' of jumping into relationships before I know what I'm getting myself into." He spread his arms wide and rolled his head up like addressing somebody on the ceiling. "I can't help it! You spend the first half of your public life hopping into bed with whoever says yes, wondering if anybody's ever really gonna want you for _you_ and not as a notch on their belt, of course you're gonna cling to whoever actually stays."

So vulnerable and honest, Blake could feel that old grip on his heart again. "Adam, Kirk would've shown his true colors eventually even if you _had_ taken it slower. It's not your fault he wanted somebody to control."

"Well maybe if I had more control I would've smelled something fishy earlier."

Blake couldn't argue with that, if only because he'd never been in that situation and thus had no authority to speak on it.

"It didn't help any when I told her I think I'm having feelings again."

Wha- Blake felt his can slip from his fingers in sudden shock and hit the floor. By a miracle of gravity it stayed upright, but he didn't pay attention to that. "Feelings? Adam, you can't be-"

Adam recoiled and waved his hands about. "No, no, not for Kirk! Never again! He didn't love me, I know that now. I was just his Rock-Star Ken doll. I wouldn't go back to him even if the doctors scrambled his brain."

Well, that was a relief. Blake sat back and put a hand over his chest that had stopped thumping. "Whew, thank god. Don't give an old man a heart attack," he smirked to try putting some levity back into the room.

"Not that old."

Flatterer. "Look, Adam, she does kinda have a point. Rebounds aren't always a good idea, an' in a case like yours it might make things worse. Just give yourself a little time and I'm sure you'll have a clearer head about whoever's got your heart a-fluttering." He swore his friend couldn't have been built on love any more if he was the offspring of Cupid and Venus themselves. Some people just had big hearts.

Adam's voice was quiet, "Even if I already know they'd never hit me or hurt me because they've been by my side this whole time and probably saved my life?"

Blake felt an odd prickling sensation over his skin, the kind of tingle you got when your foot woke up but this was all over. His chest tightened again and he was pretty sure he'd drop dead from shock right here on the couch with a dumbfounded look on his face. 

"A...Adam..."

Adam sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "C'mon, all these years and you never had any idea?" his voice sounded more choked up with every syllable. "All those kisses and hugs and stupid nicknames and nice words, you didn't think they'd lead anywhere? You never thought it was serious because I'm just a goofy rocker?"

Part of Blake wanted to just up and say _Well, yeah_. That was their friendly interaction, all part of the 'bromance', the goofing around for the cameras that was part of what made people tune in week after week. He'd lived long enough in LA to know you couldn't believe everything you saw on the screen, right?

But looking into Adam's eyes, he found the words just couldn't come out of his mouth.

The realization hit his gut like a sucker punch. Of course there was time spent together that had nothing to do with the show. There'd been the vacations, the stays at each other's houses, showing up to each other's concerts, publicly congratulating each other on accomplishments, long phone calls of emotional support when their respective divorces were finalized...and now Blake being the first person Adam thought to turn to when he couldn't take Kirk's behavior anymore and Blake not even thinking twice about it. 

Blake sat back a muttered a "holy shit" to himself. He'd always told himself he loved Adam in his own way...but between the playful goofing around and the serious care-taking, his way became _the_ way. He didn't just help Adam out of wanting to keep a friend safe, it was to show him the kind of love he deserved that Kirk refused to give.

_Holy shit, I love Adam._

The prickling sensation on his skin now seemed to creep through his skull and into his brain, numbing his field of vision. His heartbeat quickened in his chest again and his breaths were shallow.

"Blake?"

He turned to see Adam still sitting by him, even if the shape was now all hazy.

"I'm sorry, Blake, but I couldn't lie anymore. If this is gonna make things too awkward I can quit the show..."

Wait, what? Blake blinked rapidly to get his vision back to normal and saw Adam getting up to- leave? Shit, no- "Adam wait, no."

He hovered a hand over his friend's shoulder- the last thing he needed was for it to be grabbed, even if Blake was confused as all hell- and thankfully Adam paused in his steps. His face was bloomed red with what had to be embarrassment, but he still wasn't bolting.

Adam trusted him. Holy hell, Adam really trusted him.

Blake took a deep breath. Had to get his words right...couldn't foul this up or one of the greatest people he'd ever known really would walk out, probably forever.

And he'd had enough walk-outs.

He looked into Adam's eyes, so wide and a brighter hazel than he'd ever remembered. If this was some cheesy movie he'd be kissing all over that face, but life didn't work that way. It was the words that were important now.

"I don't want you to quit. I might as well quit too, because bein' there without you's no fun." 

The red in Adam's face didn't calm down, if anything it deepened. "But I just said-"

"I know what you said, buddy, heard it loud and clear." Blake grinned, and it didn't feel forced on his face. "And...I don't mind it." That was the closest he could probably get to an _I love you too_ for the time being.

Adam's bottom lip shook, and for a moment Blake thought he was going to cry, but instead his face split in a beautiful smile.

Heh, he was really going to have to get used to thinking adjectives like that.

"Look, I'm sure we can...work our way through this for a little while," the idea came to Blake. "We're both still healing from a lotta things and I wouldn't want either one of us to do something stupid."

"Yeah. Yeah, that makes sense," Adam said quietly and looked down in apparent thought. When he looked back up, the red in his cheeks had calmed but the brightness in eyes hadn't, like he wasn't sure if he was just dreaming all this. "What about...when we do? I mean, if you think the paps and that are being crazy now-"

"Pretty sure they already got us secretly married five times over." Luckily not a dumb thing to say as Adam kept on smiling. "But you're still OK with stayin' friends for now?" He could do this. _They_ could do this.

"Uh-huh." Adam rubbed his hands back and forth over each other, and Blake could tell he was just brimming over inside with so much to say, so many sweet words and promises and platitudes. But the wait would be worth it, just had to be.

"Do...do friends still cuddle?"

Damn, no wonder everybody called him cute. "'course they do." Slowly Blake sat back down, giving Adam enough space to sit where he wanted as he found the remote to switch off the TV, the game forgotten by now.

Adam took the space beside him, faint nervous breaths noticeable as he leaned his head to Blake's shoulder. Still a touch of the old nervous chill, so Blake gave a gentle smile, the one he hoped said _Trust me like you've always done._

His sigh of relief was almost magical.

Blake snuggled his arms around- same hold as they'd always done- and nestled his cheek on the crown of Adam's hair. The prickling sensation had long disappeared, now replaced by a happy flutter.

There was probably some more talking that needed to be done later, but for now he just wanted to keep this air of hopeful happiness lingering around them. Because damn if he wouldn't be trying his best for them both to now have the happiness they deserved.


End file.
